Data source comparison
License Records vs MLS Data: Which One Should Brokerages Use for Recruiting?
Brokerage managers usually reach for the MLS when they want to know about other agents. The MLS is built for listings, though, not for tracking who works where. State license records answer a different question: who is licensed, at which brokerage, and when that changes. Here is what each source can and cannot tell you.
Updated September 2026
The short answer
Use the MLS for listings and for the production of agents who list in your market. Use license records for roster movement: who joined an office, who left, where they went, and how long they stayed. Most recruiting teams need both, because a recruiting conversation needs to know who is producing and also whether they are likely to move.
License records vs MLS, side by side
What each source covers for a brokerage recruiting or retention workflow.
| Feature | AgentMetrics | MLS (e.g. Matrix) |
|---|---|---|
| What it records | Every licensee, their sponsoring brokerage and office, license type, and license dates | Listings and closed sales, with the listing and selling agents attached |
| Who appears | All licensed agents, including those with no listings this year | Only agents who list or sell through that MLS |
| Roster movement | Joins, departures and brokerage changes, month by month | Not tracked; you infer moves from changes in listing office |
| Production and sales | Not included. AgentsMetrics does not claim sales or closing data | Closed volume and units per agent, subject to your MLS rules |
| Geography | Statewide (New York), mapped to counties and offices | One MLS territory; neighbouring MLSs need separate access |
| Access and reuse | Public records; exports for your CRM and outreach | Member-only; MLS rules often restrict using data for recruiting |
What it records
AgentMetrics
Every licensee, their sponsoring brokerage and office, license type, and license dates
MLS (e.g. Matrix)
Listings and closed sales, with the listing and selling agents attached
Who appears
AgentMetrics
All licensed agents, including those with no listings this year
MLS (e.g. Matrix)
Only agents who list or sell through that MLS
Roster movement
AgentMetrics
Joins, departures and brokerage changes, month by month
MLS (e.g. Matrix)
Not tracked; you infer moves from changes in listing office
Production and sales
AgentMetrics
Not included. AgentsMetrics does not claim sales or closing data
MLS (e.g. Matrix)
Closed volume and units per agent, subject to your MLS rules
Geography
AgentMetrics
Statewide (New York), mapped to counties and offices
MLS (e.g. Matrix)
One MLS territory; neighbouring MLSs need separate access
Access and reuse
AgentMetrics
Public records; exports for your CRM and outreach
MLS (e.g. Matrix)
Member-only; MLS rules often restrict using data for recruiting
What the MLS is good at
The MLS shows who is listing and selling in a territory, which is the closest thing the industry has to production data. If you want to rank agents by closed volume in a single market, the MLS (or a tool built on MLS feeds) is the place to look.
It is weaker as a recruiting source. Agents who mostly work rentals, referrals, commercial or new development may barely show up, and moves between brokerages only surface when a new listing appears under a new office. Many MLSs also limit how member data can be used, so check your rules before building recruiting lists from it.
What license records are good at
In New York, every salesperson and broker is licensed through the Department of State, and each license names a sponsoring brokerage. When an agent changes brokerage, the license record changes too. Watching those records month to month gives you a complete roster for every office, not only the offices that list a lot.
That makes license records the better source for questions like: How many agents did we lose in the last 12 months? Which offices in our county are growing? Who just left a competitor, and where did they go? Which agents have been at the same brokerage for a long time?
Where license records fall short
License records do not include sales, so they cannot tell you who the top producers are. They also lag a little: the record changes when the paperwork is filed, which can be days or weeks after an agent actually moves. AgentsMetrics refreshes New York records monthly and says so on every report.
How brokerages combine the two
A practical recruiting workflow uses each source for what it does well:
- License records to spot movement: departures from a competitor, offices losing agents, recent joins.
- The MLS to check production for the short list of agents you plan to call.
- Your CRM to track the conversation and follow up.
- License records again, every month, to measure your own retention against offices your size.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
License records vs MLS data: what each shows about real estate agents, where each falls short, and which one to use for brokerage recruiting and retention.
No. Matrix (MLS) shows listings. AgentsMetrics shows who joined and left brokerages, from New York license records. We do not claim sales or closing data.
No. License records show who is licensed, at which brokerage, and when that changes. For production, use your MLS or a tool built on MLS data.
Yes. The New York Department of State publishes licensee information, including the sponsoring brokerage. AgentsMetrics matches those records to offices and tracks changes month to month.
It depends on your MLS. Many MLS rules limit using member data for purposes other than listings and sales, so check with your MLS before exporting agent lists for recruiting.
License records, because the sponsoring brokerage on the license changes when an agent moves. The MLS only reflects a move once the agent lists something under the new office.
See your office through the license records
Get a free one-page snapshot of your headcount, 12-month retention, and joins vs departures compared with offices your size.
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